Part 29

The furious rage of a Husband offended for the chastity violated in his Wyfe, surpasseth all other, and ingendreth mallice agaynst the doer whatsoeuer he be. For if a Gentleman, or one of good nature, cannot abyde an other to doe him any kinde of displeasure, and mutch lesse to hurt him in hys Body, how is he able to endure to haue his honour touched, specially in that part which is so neere vnto him as his owne Soule? Man, and Wyfe being as it were one body and one will, wherein Men of good Judgement cannot well like the Opinion of those which say that the honour of a lusty and couragious person dependeth not vpon the fault of a foolish woman: for if that wer true which they so lightly vaunt, I would demaund why they be so animated and angry against them which adorne their head with braunched Hornes, the Ensignes of a Cuckolde: and truely nature hath so well prouided in that behalfe, as the very sauage Beastes doe fight, and suffer death for sutch honest Jealousie. Yet will I not prayse, but rather accuse aboue al faulty men, those that be so fondly Jealous, as eche thinge troubling their mindes, be afrayde of the Flyes very shadowe that buzze about their Faces. For by payning and molestinge theymselues with a thinge that so little doth please and content them, vntill manifest, and euident proofe appeare, they display the folly of their minde's imperfection, and the weakenesse of their Fantasy. But where the fault is knowne, and the Vyce discouered, where the husbande seeth himselfe to receyue Damage in the soundest part of his moueable goods, reason it is that he therein be aduised by timely deliberation and sage foresight, rather than with headlong fury, and raging rashnesse to hazard the losse of his honour, and the ruine of his life and goods. And lyke as the fayth and fidelity of the vndefiled Bed hath in all times worthely ben commended and rewarded: euen so he that polluteth it by Infamy, beareth the penaunce of the same. Portia the Daughter of Cato, and wife of Brutus shall be praysed for euer, for the honest and inuiolable loue which she bare vnto hir beloued husband, almost like to lose hir life when she heard tell of his certayne death. The pudicity of Paulina the wife of Seneca appeared also, when she assayed to dy by the same kinde of death wherewith hir Husband violently was tormented by the vniust commaundement of the most cruel and horrible Emperoure Nero. But Whores and Harlottes, having honest Husbands, and well allied in Kin, and Ligneage by abandoning their bodyes, doe prodigally consume their good Renoume: yea but if they escape the Magistrates, or auoyde the wrath of offended husbandes for the wrong done vnto them, yet they leaue an immortall slaunder of their wicked life, and youth thereby may take example aswell to shun sutch shamelesse Women, as to followe those Dames that be Chaste, and Vertuous. Now of this contempt whych the Wyfe beareth to hir Husband, do rise very many times notorious slaunders, and sutch as are accompanied with passinge cruelties: wherein the Husbande ought to moderate his heate, and calme his choler, and soberly to chastise the fault, for so mutch as excessiue wrath, and anger, doe Eclipse in man the light of reason, and sutch rages doe make them to be semblable vnto Brute, and reasonlesse Beastes: meete it is to be angry for thinges done contrary to Right, and Equity, but Temperaunce, and Modesty is necessary in al occurrentes, bee they wyth vs, or against vs. But if to resist anger in those matters, it be hard and difficulte, yet the greater impossibility there is in the operation, and effect of any good thinge, the greater is the glory that vanquisheth the affection and mastereth the first motion of the minde which is not so impossible to gouerne, and subdue to reason, as many do esteeme. A wise man then cannot so farre forget his duety, as to exceede the Boundes, and Limits of reason, and to suffer his mynde to wander from the siege of Temperaunce, which if he doe after hee hath well mingled Water in his Wyne, hee may chaunce to finde cause of Repentaunce, and by desire to repayre his Offense augment his fault, sinne being so prompt and ready in man, as the crime which might bee couered with certayne Iustice, and coloured by some lawe or righteous cause, maketh him many tymes to fall into detestable Vice and Synne, so contrary to mildnesse and modesty, as the very Tyraunts themselues woulde abhorre sutch wickednesse. And to the ende that I do not trouble you with Allegation of infinite numbres of examples, seruing to this purpose, ne render occasion of tediousnes for you to reuolue so many bookes, I am contented for this present, to bring in place an Hystory so ouer cruell, as the cause was not mutch vnreasonable, if duty in the one had bene considered, and rage in the other bridled and foreseene, who madly murthered and offended those that were nothing guilty of the Facte, that touched him so neare. And although that these be matters of loue, yet the Reader ought not to bee grieued nor take in evill parte, that we bee still in that Argument. For we doe not hereby goe about to erect a Schoolehouse of Loue, or to teache Youth the wanton Toyes of the same. But rather bryng forth these Examples to withdraw the plyant, and tender Age of this our time, from the pursuite of like Follies, which may (were they not in this sort warned) ingender lyke effects that these our Hystoryes do recoumpt, and whereof you shall bee Partakers by reading the discourse that followeth. Yee must than vnderstand, that in the time that Braccio Montone, and Sforza Attendulo florished in Italy, and were the chiefest of the Italian men of warre, there were three Lords and brethren which held vnder their authority and Puissaunce Foligno, Nocera, and Treuio, parcell of the Dukedome of Spoleto, who gouerned so louingly their Landes together, as without diuision, they maynetayned themselues in great Estate, and lyued in Brotherly concorde. The name of the Eldest of these three Lordes was Nicholas, the second Cæsar, the yongest Conrade, gentle Personages, wise and wel beloued so well of the Noble men their Neyghbours, as also of the Cittyzens that were vnder their Obeysaunce, who in the ende, shewed greater loyalty towards them, than those that had sworne their fayth, and had giuen Pleadges for confirmation, as yee shal perceyue by reading what insueth. It chaunced that the eldest oftentimes repayring from Foligno to Nocera, and lodging still in the Castell, behelde with a little to mutch wanton Eye, the Wyfe of his Lieutenaunt whych was placed there with a good number of dead payes, to Guard the Fort, and keepe vnder the Cittizens, if by chaunce (as it happeneth vpon the new erection of Estates) they attemped some new enterprise agaynst their Soueraygne Lordes. Nowe this Gentlewoman was very fayre, singularly delighting to be looked vpon: which occasioned the Lord Nicholas, by perceyuing the wantonesse and good wyll of the Mystresse of the Castell, not to refuse so good occasion, determining to prosecute the inioying of hir, that was the Bird after which he hunted, whose Beauty and good grace had deepely wounded his Mind, wherin if he forgot his duety, I leaue for al men of good iudgement to consider. For me thinke that this young Lorde ought rather singularly to loue and cherysh his liuetenaunt that faithfullye and trustily had kept his Castell and Forte, than to prepare agaynst him so Trayterous an Attempt, and Ambushe. And if so bee hys sayd Lieutenaunt had bene accused of felony, misprison, or Treason (yet to speake the trouth) hee might haue deliuered the charge of his Castell vnto an other, rather then to suborne his Wyfe to folly. And ought likewise to haue considered that the Lieuetenaunt by puttinge his trust in him, had iust cause to complayne for Rauishing hys Honoure from hym in the Person of hys Wyfe, whom hee ought to haue loued wythout any affection to Infrindge the Holy Lawe of Amitye, the breakinge whereof dissolueth the duety of ech Seruaunt towardes his Soueraygne Lord and mayster. To be short, this blinded Louer yelding no resistaunce to loue, and the foolish conceipt which altereth the iudgements of the wisest, suffred his fansie to roue so farre vnto hys Appetites, as on a daye when the Lieuetenaunte was walked abroade into the Castel to view the Souldiours and deade payes (to pleasure him that sought the meanes of his displeasure) hee spake to the Gentlewoman his Wyfe in this manner: "Gentlewoman, you being wise and curteous as ech man knoweth, needefull it is not to vse long or Rethoricall Orations, for so mutch as you without further supply of talk do clearely perceyue by my Looks, Sighes, and earnest Viewes, the loue that I beare you, which without comparison nippeth my Hearte so neare as none can feele the parching paynes, that the same poore portion of me doth suffer. Wherefore hauing no great leysure to let you further vnderstand my mynde, it may please you to shewe me so mutch Fauour as I may be receyued for him, who hauing the better right of your good grace, may therewithall enioy that secret Acquayntance, which sutch a one as I am deserueth: of whom yee shall haue better experience if you please to accept him for your owne." This mistresse Lieutenaunt which compted hir selfe happy to be beloued of hir Lorde, and who tooke great pleasure in that aduenture, albeit that shee desyred to lette hym knowe the good will that she bare vnto him, yet dissembled the matter a little, by aunswering him in this wise: "Your disease Sir is sodayne, if in so little time you haue felt sutch excesse of malady: but perchance it is your heart that being ouer tender, hath lightly receyued the pricke, which no doubt will so soone vanish, as it hath made so ready entry. I am very glade (Sir) that your heart is so merily disposed to daliaunce, and can finde some matter to contriue the superfluitie of tyme, the same altering the diuersity of man's complexion, accordingly as the condition of the hourely Planet guideth the nature of euery wight." "It is altogither otherwise (aunswered hee) for being come hither as a master and Lord, I am become a seruaunt and slaue: and briefly to speake my minde, if you haue not pitty vpon me, the disease which you call sodayne, not only will take increase, but procure the death and finall ruine of my heart." "Ah sir," (sayd the Gentlewoman) "your griefe is not so deepely rooted, and death so present to succeede as you affirme, ne yet so ready to gieue ouer the place, as you protest, but I see what is the matter, you desire to laugh mee to scorne, and your heart craueth something to solace it selfe which cannot be idle, but must imploy the vacant tyme vpon some pleasaunt Toyes." "You haue touched the pricke (aunswered the Louer) for it is you in deede wherevpon my hearte doth ioy, and you are the cause of my Laughter and passetime, for otherwise all my delights were displeasures, and you also by denying me to be your seruaunt, shall abbreuiate, and shorten my liuing dayes, who only reioyseth for choyse of sutch a mystresse." "And how (replied she) can I be assured of that you say? The disloyalty, and infidelity of man being in these dayes so faste vnited, so hastely following one another, as the Shadow doth the Body, wheresoeuer it goeth." "Onely experience" (sayed he) "shall make you know what I am, and shall teach you wheather my heart is any thing different from my wordes, and I dare bee bolde to say, that if you vouchsafe to do mee the pleasure to receyue mee for your owne, you may make your vaunt to haue a Gentleman so faythfull for your frend, as I esteeme you to be discrete, and as I desire to let you taste the effect of mine affection, by sutch some honest order as may be deuised." "Sir" (sayd she) "it is well and aduisedly spoken of you, but yet I thincke it straunge for sutch a Gentleman as you be, to debase your honor to so poore a Gentlewoman, and to goe about both to dishonor me, and to put my life in pearill." "God forbid" (aunswered the Lord Nicholas) "that I be cause of any slaunder, and rather had I dye my selfe than minister one simple occasion whereby your fame should be brought in question. Only I doe pray you to have pitty vpon me, and by vsing your curtesie, to satisfie that which my seruice and faythfull friendship doth constrayne, and binde you for the comfort of him that loueth you better than himselfe." "We will talke more thereof hereafter" (aunswered the lieuetenaunt's Wyfe) "and than will I tell you mine aduise, and what resolution shall follow the summe of your demaunde." "How now Gentlewoman" (sayd he) "haue you the heart to leaue me voyde of hope, to make me languish for the prorogation of a thing so doubtful as the delayes bee which loue deferreth? I humbly pray you to tell me whereunto I shall trust: to the intent that by punishing my heart for proofe of this enterprise, I may chastise all mine Eyes by reuing from them the meanes for euer more to see that which contenteth me best, and wherein resteth my solace, leauing my minde full of desires, and my heart without final stay, vppon the greatest Pleasure that euer man coulde choose." The Gentlewoman would not loose a Noble man so good and perfect: whose presence already pleased hir aboue all other thinges, and, who voluntarily had agreed to hys request, by the onely signe of hir Gests, and Lookes, sayde vnto him smilinge with a very good grace: "Doe not accuse my heart of lightnesse, nor my minde of infidelity and treason, if to please and obey you, I forget my duty, and abuse the promise made unto my Husband, for I sweare vnto you (sir) by God, that I haue more forced my thought, and of long time haue constrayned mine appetites in dissembling the loue that I beare you, than I haue receiued pleasure, by knowing my selfe to be beloued by one agreeable to mine affection. For which cause you shall finde me (being but a poore Gentlewoman) more ready to do your pleasure, and to be at your commaundement, than any other that liueth be shee of greater Port, and regarde than I am. And who to satisfie your request, shal one day sacrifice that fidelity to the iealous fury of hir husband." "God defend" (sayd the young Lord) "for we shal be so discrete in our doings, and so seldome communicate, and talke togeather, as impossible for any man to discry the same. But if mishap will haue it so, and that some ill lucke doe discouer our dealinges, I haue shift of wayes to coloure it, and power to stop the mouthes of them that dare presume to clatter and haue to do with our priuate conference." "All that I know wel inough sir" (sayd she) "but it is great simplicity in sutch thinges for a man to trust to his authority, the forced inhibition whereof shall prouoke more babble, than rumor is able to spreade for all his tattling talk of our secret follies. Moreouer I would be very glad to do what pleaseth you, so the same may be without slaunder. For I had rather dy, than any should take vs in our priuities and familier pastimes: let vs be contented with the pleasure that the ease of our ioy may graunt, and not with sutch contentation as shal offend vs, by blotting the clerenesse of our good name." Concluding then the time of their new acquayntaunce, which was the next day at noone, when the Lieutenaunt did walke into the Citty, they ceased their talke for feare of his enteruiew. Who (upon his retourne) doing reuerence vnto his Lord, tolde him that hee knewe where a wilde Boare did haunte, if it pleased him to see the pastime. Whereunto the Lord Nicholas fayned louingly to gieue eare (although agaynst his will) for so mutch as hee thought the same Huntinge should be a delay for certayne dayes to the enioying, (pretended and assured) of his beloued. But she that was so mutch or more esprysed with the raging and intollerable fire of loue, speedily found meanes to satisfie hir louer's sute, but not in sutch manner as was desired of eyther partes, wherefore they were constrayned to defer the rest vntill an other time. This pleasaunt beginning so allured the Lord of Nocera, as vnder the pretence of huntinge, there was no weeke that passed, but hee came to visite the Warrener of hys Lieutenaunt. And this order continuing without any one little suspition of their loue, they gouerned theymselues wisely in pursute thereof. And the Lord Nicholas vsed the game and sporte of Hunting, and an infinite number of other exercises, as the running of the Ring, and Tennis, not so mutch thereby to finde meanes to enioy his Lady, as to auoyde occasion of Iealosie in hir Husband, being a very familiar vice in all Italians, the Cloake whereof is very heauy to beare, and the disease troublesome to sustayne. But what? Like as it is hard to beguile an Vsurer in the accoumpt of his money, for his continuall watch ouer the same, and slumbring sleepes vpon the Bookes of his recknings and accoumpts, so difficult it is to deceyue the heart of a iealous man, and specially when he is assured of the griefe which his head conceyueth. Argus was neuer so cleere eyed for all his hundred Eyes ouer Iupiter's Lemman, as those Louers be, whose opinions be ill affected ouer the chastity of their Wyues. Moreouer what Foole, or Asse is hee, who seeing sutch vndiscrete familiarity of two Louers, the priuy gestures and demeanors without witnesse, theyr stolne walkes at vntymely houres, and sometimes theyr embracements to, strayght and common before seruants, that would not doubt of that whych most secretly did passe? True it is that in England (where liberty is so honestly obserued as being alone or secrete conuersation gyueth no cause of suspition) the same mighte haue bene borne withall. But in Italy, where the Parents themselues be for the most part suspected, (if there had bene no facte in deede committed) that familiarity of the Lord Nicholas, with hys Lieutenaunte's Wyfe was not suffrable, but exceded the Bounds of reason, for so mutch as the Commoditie which they had chosen for possessing of theyr loue, (albeit the same not suspitions) animated them afterwards to frequent their familiarity and dysporte to frankly, and wythout discretion: which was the cause that fortune (who neuer leaueth the ioyes of men wythout giuing thereunto some great alarme,) being enuious of the mutuall delightes of those two louers, made the husband to doubt of that which hee would haue dissembled, if honor could so easily be loste wythoute reproch, as bloud is shed without peryll of Lyfe, but the matter being so cleare, as the fault was euident, specyally in the party which touched him so neare as hymselfe, the Lieuetenaunt before he would enterpryse any thing, and declare what he thought desired throughly to bee resolued of that whych hee sawe as it were but in a Cloude, and by reason of hys conceyued Opynion hee dealt so warely and wisely in those affaires, and was so subtil an espiall, as one day when the louers were at theyr game, and in their most straite and secrete embracements, he viewed them coupled with other leash, than he would haue wished, and colled with straighter bands then reason or honesty did permit. He saw with out beeing seene, wherein he felt a certaine ease and contentment, for being assured of that he doubted, and purposed to ordeyne a sowre refection after their delightsome banket, the simple louers ignoraunt by signe or coniecture, that their enterpryses were dyscouered. And truely it had ben more tollerable and lesse hurteful for the Lieuetenaunte, if euen then hee had perpetrated his vengeaunce, and punyshed them for theyr wyckednesse, than to vse the Cruelty wherewith afterwardes he blotted his renoume, and soyled his hands by Bedlem rage in the innocent bloud of those that were not priuye to the folly, and lesse guilty of the wronge don vnto him. Now the Captain of the Castel for al his dissimulation in couering of his griefe, and his fellony and Treason intended against his soueraigne Lord, which he desired not yet manifestly to appeare, was not able any more from that time forth to speake so louingly vnto him, nor with sutch respect and reuerence as he did before, which caused his Wife thus to say vnto hir Louer: "My Lord I doubt very mutch least my husband doth perceiue these our common practizes, and secrete familiar dealings, and that he hath some Hammer working in his heade, by reason of the Countenaunce,{ }and vncheareful entertaynement which he sheweth to your Lordship, wherefore myne aduyse is, that you retire for a certaine tyme to Foligno. In the meane space I wil marke and espye if that his alteration be conceiued for any matter against vs, and wherefore his wonted lookes haue put on this new alteration and chaunge. All which when I haue (by my espial and secret practize sounded) I will spedily aduertise you, to the end that you may provide for the sauegard of your faithfull and louing seruaunt." The young Lord, who loued the Gentlewoman wyth al his heart, was attached with so great gryefe, and dryuen into sutch rage by hearyng those wycked Newes, as euen presently he woulde haue knowne of hys Lieuetenaunt, the cause of his dyswonted cheare. But weighing the good aduyse whych his woman had giuen him, paused vppon the same, and promysed hir to doe what she thought best. By reason whereof, gyuynge warnyng to his Seruantes for hys departure, he caused the Lyeuetenaunte to be called before him, vnto whome hee sayd: "Captayne, I had thoughte for certayne Dayes to sporte and passe my tyme, but hearing tell that the Duke of Camarino commeth to Foligno, to debate with vs of matters of importaunce, I am constrained to departe, and do pray you in the meane time to haue good regard vnto our affaires, and if any newes doe chaunce to aduertise the same wyth all Expedytion." "Sir" (sayd the Captayne) "I am sorrye that now when our passetime of hunting myght yelde some good recreation vnto your honour, that you doe thus forsake vs, notwithstanding sith it is your good pleasure, we will cease the chase of the wylde Bore till your retourne. In the meane time, I will make ready the Coardes and Tramelles, that vppon your comming, nothing want for the Furniture of our sport." The Lord Nicholas, seeing his Lieuetenaunt so pleasauntly disposed, and so litle bent to Choller, or iealous fantasie, was persuaded, that some other toy had rather occupyed his Minde, than any suspition betweene his Wife and hym. But the subtyll Husband searched other meanes to be reuenged, than by kylling him alone, of whom he receyued that dishonour, and was more craftie to enterpryse, and more hardie to execute, than the Louers were wyse or well aduised to preuent and wythstande his sleightes and pollicies. And albeit that the Wyfe (after the departure of hir Fryend) assayed to drawe from him the cause of his altered cheare yet coulde shee neuer learne, that hir husband had any ill opinion of theyr Loue. For so many tymes as talke was moued of the Lord Nicholas, hee exalted his prayse vp into the Heauens, and commended hym aboue all his Brethren. All whych hee dyd to beguyle the pollycies of hir, whome he saw to blush, and many times chaunge Colour, when she heard him spoken of, to whom she bare better affection than to hir Husband, vnto whom (in very dede) she did owe the faith and integritie of hir body. This was the very toile which he had laid to intrap those amorous persons and purposed to rid the world of them by that meanes, to remoue from before his eyes, the shame of a Cuckolde's title, and to reuenge the iniurie don to his reputation. The mistresse of the Castel seeynge that hir husband (as shee thought) by no meanes did vnderstande hir follies, desired to continue the pleasure, which either of them desired, and which made the third to die of phrenesie, wrote to the Lord Nicholas, the letter that followeth.